These traditional cakes from Lamporecchio, a town near Pistoia, probably only known in Tuscany, are crumbly biscuit wafers with anise flavor, always present on the stands at village festivals and parties. According to a legend, the recipe was invented by some nuns devoted to Saint Brigida (hence, the name “Brigidini”) read more
These giant wild mushrooms are justly famous for their intense woodsy flavor. Once dried, they flavor many soups, sauces and stews. When fresh they are often enjoyed simply prepared, in Tuscany with the classical accompaniment of nepitella, a wild herb that looks like thyme but has a slightly minty flavor. read more
Ravioli with Meat Sauce. Many regions in Italy boast spinach and ricotta ravioli, and they go by many different names and have different sauces, but in Tuscany they are served with a spare serving of simple meat sauce flavored with a bit of tomato, onion and carrot.
This is definitely one of the few cases of English language influencing Italian; and even more improbably, Italians following the lead of English cooking. But the famous Florentine “bistecca” derives from the British who took to ordering “beefsteak” so often, the Italians adopted their own variation of the word, as read more
Alba and the surrounding regions of Piemonte have the most famous (and most expensive!) white truffles, considered to be the best in the world, but San Miniato and the surrounding hills and woods produce white truffles that don’t disappoint. Truffles pack a powerful aroma, they are more fragrant than flavorful, read more